


Bedtime Story

by Fantine_Black



Series: Brighter than the Sun [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Canonical Child Abuse, Comfort/Angst, Credence Barebone Gets a Hug, Credence Barebone Needs a Hug, Domestic Violence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Mary Lou Barebone is Her Own Warning, Mother-Son Relationship, Protective Credence Barebone, Protective Siblings, Short & Sweet, Sibling Bonding, Threats of Violence, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 19:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13254867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantine_Black/pseuds/Fantine_Black
Summary: Bedtime at the Second Salemers is a terrifying affair.





	Bedtime Story

He stands up and slowly walks toward the two women.

“Goodnight, Ma,” he says softly. “Goodnight, Chastity.”

“Night,” she says airily, not deigning to look up from her needlework. Ma gives a pointed look to the sodden mess of leaflets on the table and turns her head away.

He nods, closes his eyes,  then turns and starts for the stairs. He is almost at the top when he hears a little voice:

“Goodnight, Credence.”

He startles and looks down the stairs, then to his right where Modesty’s big eyes are watching him through a crack in the door. His eyes dart downwards again before he looks back and puts a finger to his lips.

But Modesty sits up and defiantly stretches out her arms.

Credence feels himself smile. He slips through the door as quietly as he can, sits down on his sister’s bed and puts his arms around her small body. “I love you,” she whispers, her arms soft and tight around his neck.

He cradles her head.

“Credence? What’s going on up there?”

He startles. “Nothing, Ma,” he calls back. “I was… just closing Modesty’s window.” He lays her down quickly. “G’night, Munchkin,” he whispers before running to the window and closing it with a snap.

But he still hears her footsteps.

He turns back to Modesty, who’s ducked under the covers, then he runs out of the room and pulls the door shut behind him.

When he sees his mother, she is halfway up the stairs.

“What is this?”

“She’s asleep,” he offers, his right hand curling into a fist. He swallows as her gaze nonetheless stops at his belt.

“She’s asleep, Ma!”

She says nothing, one moment, two. Then she looks up. “Go to bed, Credence.”

“Yes, Ma.” He hangs his head. “Thank you, Ma.”

He waits until she’s turned around, then opens the door that leads to his own alcove. He doesn’t light the lamp, instead brushes his teeth by some spare moonlight. He’s shaking so much he almost drops the pitcher.

Once’s he’s in bed, though, he takes his pillow and pulls it to the spot where Modesty’s head lay at his chest.

“Goodnight, Munchkin,” he mumbles into the feathers.

 “I love you, too.”


End file.
